On one hand, Usha Silai School has collaborated with Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS) to provide women with employment opportunities while also promoting environmental conservation, on the other hand, it has partnered with the Blind People's Association in Ahmedabad to upskill women with disabilities.
However, the women of Mawlinnong are not only solely dedicated to cleanliness. The USHA x TRAINING CUM PRODUCTION CENTER (TPC) is empowering local women in many different ways. In this center, the women gather after their morning chores, to acquire skills in cutting, measuring, stitching, and crafting finished products such as bags, pillow covers, and home decor items.
USHA has also collaborated with Tata Power Limited to provide Silai Schools with solar-powered machines, substantially boosting production capacity. Initially aimed at establishing 20 USHA centres in 200 villages across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the introduction of solar-powered sewing machines has succeeded and enriched the learning experience for the rural women involved.
Kushalta Ke Kadam, an initiative by USHA Silai School and NDTV has entered its eighth season. The aim is to empower more women across rural India by teaching them sewing skills and helping them open new doors of opportunities for themselves. The initiative encourages rural women to become financially independent and entrepreneurs by taking up sewing and training others in their respective communities.
Since 2011, the USHA Silai School initiative has trained more than 12 lakh rural women through over 33,000 Silai schools, spanning over 20,751 villages across India.
The women earn Rs. 4,000 – 5,000 per month on an average, with the highest recorded monthly earning being Rs. 84,000 in a month. This earning works as a catalyst towards building their self-confidence, reducing gender inequities, and raising their stature within their families and in society at large.
Since 2011, the Usha Silai School initiative has trained over 14 lakh rural women through 36,000 schools across India, with 108 partner NGOs nationwide
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